Aeroplane launching device



June 7, 1932. M. NIEMI AEROPLANE LAUNCHING DEVICE 2 S,heeZs--SheetA l Filed Aug. 24, 1951 INVENTOR /V/ em 1 ATTORNEY Afa/f1 BY June 7, 1932. M, N|EM| 1,861,934

AEROPLANE LAUNCHING DEVICE Filed Aug. 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

Maf/1 /l//em/ ATTORNEY Patented June 7, 1932 UNI-.TED STATES MATTI. NIEMI, F SEATTLE, Y. WASHINGTON AEROPLANE LAUNCHING- DEVICE Application led August 24, 1931. Serial No. 559,023;

. Thisinvention relates to launching devices for aeroplanes, Y beingvr an improvement. over structureillustrated and described in my co pendingU; S. patent application, SerialNo.

lli 500.734 iledDecember 8, 1930.

vSuch-prior inventionconsisting in apparatus allowing a plane-to swing upwardly under itsown powerto asuiiicient height above the groundl to afford`- an acceleration of speed l0; from an arey of` descent, theV present inventionhas `for aprimary object thereover, the

provision of 'mosteiiicient catapult-mechanism adapted. to1 impart an initialz thrust to the released" plane; in accelerating-the rise of momentum;

Another object resides in the provision of mechanism'. co-operative with the buoyancy developedfbyftheplanes propeller for faciL' itating the upward'swing-activity of-the same to -itselevated disposition.

` A2, further' object is-theprovision of cushioned mechanism for locating the planein an elevated'. disposition most eiiicient'V for obtain- 2" andv at the same time allow-ing'the plane to obtain a: high development' in the propeller speed prior to the release of such catapultshould become apparent in the course of the following-description and claims-,the invention'l consisting in thel novel construction, adaptation and combination ofy parts hereinafter describedfand claimed;

In thek drawings- Figure 1 is zii-*longitudinal vertical section taken medially through apparatusrepresent-k ing a preferredf embodiment of the present invention, arplane-being indicated therewith in its elevated disposition prior to launching. Fig: 2j is anenlargedV fragmentary-1 detail view oflstructureshownin Fig; 1. Fig: 3ds a horizontal section taken on line 3--3l of Fig. 1 ;.andf

ing thelfull effectiveness of the catapult thrust- Fig. 4 is an enlarged verticaltransversesection on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3shown fragey mentarilyfand. with parts n yside elevation-.

Reference being had `theret0,.a suitabley sufperstructure consists in. upright front and; rear girder members- 6, 7 having; their lowerw ends-suitablyl embedded orf otherwise secured; to a base, and: interconnected` atupperextremities by longitudinal? and: transversevv channels 8, 9, the gir-ders beingl spaced suflif-- ciently in-eXcess of thek wing'spread of,- the;v plane as to readily receive the-same.'`

In the present invention, utilizing# grap-- pling structure of the general character shown in my co-pendingapplication, I attach ,-1 uw as by supporting brackets 10,-l 11 securedv above the vplane fusilage Tat opposite ends of. the same, a pair of laterally spaced-apart; bars 12 having longitudinally spaced transversely aligned apertures 13, selective oif'said` aligned apertures receiving atransverse pintle 14 for engaging aA pair of` links- 15; The-opposite aperturedv ends of said-links receive a pin 16 adapted for releasable-en gagement between the jaws 17 of a-grappling,v hook 17. Said grapplinghook and the manner'ofusing the same-is illustrated and described in detail inthe aforesaid application, the present arrangement connecting the frame thereof, through a ring-19 andlinks 20, with a pair of cables 21 having their-opposite ends secured with respect to therear girder members of the superstructure as by.' means-of eye-bolts or the-like 22 attached-to a horizontal cross rod 23. v

A pair of cables such as24, hereinaftertermed elevating cables, are likewise connected to said hookframe 17, passing-throughfair leaders 25 and over pulleys 26 to respecf.v tive weights 27 suspended: adjacent `the front girder members 6.

Said hook arrangement, having-connectionwith selected apertures of the-bars12 slightlyforwardly of the planes weight center, is-.c operable-with. a pair of cables 28-secured t0 the weights and adapted to pass through the ring 19, the-terminal ends of said cables supporting aring 30 adapted` for engagementj over a hook- 31 secured to the rear portionof the bars 12 and serving asia balance-support' 100 i for the tail of the plane. 32 represents a control cable for elevating the weights 27 to drop the grappling hook into proximity of the ground, and 33 indicates a release cable passing through eyes 34, 35 and manually controlled by an operator, for spreading the jaws 17', said cable maintained taut through a suspended weight 36.

As is believed evident, a plane in its disposition upon the ground is engaged by the jaws 17 and the ring 30, the pilot elevating the plane, with the cooperation of the Weights, by means of the propeller energy in an arc about the axis of suspension of the cables 2l. A convenient y adjustment, other than the separable weight blocks shown, in accommodating the weight of various types and characters of planes, might comprise a brake acting on the winch for the control cable 32. In restricting theheight of elevation, cushion tires 37 supported by the forward cross channel 9 engage over the outer ends of the wings.

More particularly to the catapult devices, consisting in a pair of leaf springs 50 having their inner ends attached to the aforesaid cross rod'23 and shouldering a rigid cross rod 39, the opposite ends engaging a thrust rod 51 supported for horizontal movement through means such as rollers 52 tracking between girder-supported companion rails 53, I provide medially of said thrust rod, a pulley member 54 tapering centrally from opposite edges and adapted for engagement within the throat portion of a thrust-receiving bracket 55 secured adjacent thev tail of the plane fusilage.r As shown, such bracket affords an upstanding arm 56 for feeding the pulley into the throat. 57 represents control cables attached to the thrust rod for passage over pulley wheels 58 to Winches 59, said Winches manually controlled for retracting the springs 50 to their inoperative rearmost position. A conventional pawl lock and brake for the winch, the latter allowing ex tension of the springs to engage member 54 within the throat, are not shown.

The operation of the structure described is believed evident. The plane is elevated as aforesaid into contact with the cushion tires, and the thrust rod-advanced to engage the plane-secured bracket 55, subsequent to which engagement the pawl and brake are released from the winch drum. As the motor of the plane is accelerated to the desired propeller speed, the release cable 33 is actuated bythe operator upon the ground to release the grappling hook, the suppressed energy of the springs asserting a thrust to impart an accelerated speed to the released plane. Ring 30 slides over the hook as the plane moves forward.

The foregoing is believed clear. It is not my intention, however, to in any Way confine myself except as limited by the scope of the hereto annexed claims, it being thought readily within the .ability of a mechanic or engineer to redesign the release structure for control by the planes pilot, or to dispose the thrust-receiving bracket rearwardly of the plane rudder. Various further modifications as might be desired are thought obvious.

WV hat I claim, is,-

l. In aeroplane launching devices, the combination of means for elevating a plane, means to release the plane from its elevated disposition, and means for imparting an initial thrust to the released plane to impel the same outwardly.

2. In aeroplane launching devices, the combination of means for supporting a plane in an velevated disposition, means for releasing the plane from its elevated disposition, and means for imparting an initial thrust to the released plane to impel the same outwardly.

3. In aeroplane launching devices, the combination of means for supporting a plane in an elevated disposition, means for releasing the plane from its elevated disposition, and means for accelerating the initial speed of momentum of the released plane.

il. In aeroplane launching devices, in com'-V bination, means for elevating a plane about-a constant axis, means for releasing-the plane from its elevated disposition, and means for accelerating the initial speed of momentu of the released plane.

5. In aeroplane launching devices, the combination with a plurality of cables, and means for attaching said cables to the plane at the front and to the rear,`respectively, ofthe planes weight center, said cables'a'ffording, co-operative with the motive energy of the planes propeller, an elevation ofthe plane about a. constant axis, of means for releasing said plane from its elevated disposition, and means for accelerating the initial speed of momentum of the released plane.

6. In aeroplane launching devices, the combination with a plurality of cables, and means for attaching said cables tothe plane at the front and to the rear, respectively, of the planes weight center, said cables afording, co-operative with the motive energy of the planes propeller, an elevation of the plane, of means for releasing said plane from its elevated disposition.

7. In aeroplane launching devices, 'a plurality of cables, means for attaching said cables to the plane at the front and rea-r of the planes weight center and at opposite sides of aI median line taken longitudinally of the same, means for elevating the plane, means for releasing the plane from its elevated disposition, and means for accelerating the initial speed of momentum of the released plane.

8. In aeroplane launching devices, a plurality of cables, means for attaching said cables to the plane at the front and rear of the planes weight center and at opposite sides of a median line taken longitudinally of the same, means for elevating the plane, and means for releasing the plane from its elevated disposition.

9. In aero lane launching devices, a superstructure, ca les suspended from the superstructure at the rear thereof, means for connecting the opposite ends of said attached cables to the plane, a pair of pulleys supported by the superstructure at the front thereof, cables passing over said pulleys, weights suspended by said last named cables at one end of the same, means for attaching the other ends of said weight-suspending cables to the plane, said weights co-operating with the motive energy of the planes propeller for elevating the plane about the axis of suspension of said first named cables, and means to release the cables from the plane in the elevated disposition of the latter.

10. The apparatus as dened in claim 9, and means supported by the superstructure for limiting the extent of elevation of the plane.

11. Aeroplane launching devices including a superstructure having means for suspending a plane in an elevated disposition, means for releasing the plane fromsaid elevated disposition, and catapult devices for accelerating the speed of momentum of the released plane, said catapult devices comprising a horizontal transversely disposed bar adapted for engagement with the plane, rollers supported at opposite ends of said bar, track-ways for said rollers for guiding said bar longitudinally of the superstructure, and spring means engaging said bar for impelling the same outwardly.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 including control means for retracting or feeding said bar from or to the plane.

13. In aeroplane launching devices, a superstructure, cables suspended from said superstructure, means for attaching the opposite ends of said cables to the plane, said cables co-operating with the motive energy of the planes propeller for elevating the plane about the axis of suspension of said cables, means for limiting the extent of elevation of the plane, and means for releasing the plane from its elevated disposition.

14. In aeroplane launching devices, the combination with a superstructure, and means co-operating with the motive energy of the planes propeller for elevating the plane in said superstructure, of cushion devices or limiting the extent of elevation of the plane in said superstructure.

15. In aeroplane launching devices, the combination with a superstructure including uprights spaced laterally in excess of the wing spread of the plane, a grappling hook adapted for engagement with the plane, cables secured to said grappling hook, said cables supported by the superstructure for swing activity upwardly about a constant axis, devices Jfor locating said plane in a predetermined elevated disposition responsive to swing activity of the same upwardly about said cable axis, and means for releasing said grapping hook, of catapult devices comprising a horizontally movable thrust rod adapted for engagement with the plane at the tail portion of the same, means for feeding or reti-acting said rod to or from engagement with the plane, and means responsive to a release of said grappling hook for impelling said rod outwardly to impart an accelerated speed of momentum' to the released plane.

Signed at Seattle, l/Vashington, this 20th day of July, 1931.

' MATTI NIEMI. 

